The West Bengal Police on Tuesday took the five men accused in the Durgapur gang rape case along with the survivor’s friend to the crime scene for reconstruction, as part of the ongoing investigation into the brutal assault on a 23-year-old medical student.
According to police officials, the reconstruction took place in a wooded area near the Paranaganj Kali Bari cremation ground, where the assault reportedly occurred on Friday night. Investigators asked the accused and the survivor’s friend to “reenact” their movements and roles from that night, with the entire process being videographed for forensic and legal scrutiny.
“The reconstruction is being done to verify the sequence of events based on the statements given by the accused and the survivor’s friend. Their accounts will be matched with the victim’s statement,” said a senior investigating officer.
Before the reconstruction, police officials questioned the survivor’s friend for nearly an hour, seeking clarity on inconsistencies in his earlier statement.
Search for Evidence and Forensic Tests
Earlier in the day, two of the accused were taken to their homes as part of a search operation for potential evidence. Investigators had already seized the clothes of the other three suspects, which will now be sent for forensic examination.
“These samples will be critical in confirming involvement and verifying timelines,” the officer said. The police also revealed that the mobile phones of all five accused have been sent for digital forensic analysis. Investigators are additionally questioning fellow students of the survivor to gather more information.
Later in the evening, all five accused were scheduled to undergo medical examinations at a government hospital.
Profiles of the Accused
Among those arrested, one is a former security guard of the private medical college, while another currently works at a nearby hospital. One suspect is employed temporarily with the local civic body, and another is unemployed.
The fifth accused’s occupation has not been disclosed. Police are also checking the criminal backgrounds of all five men to determine if they were involved in similar offenses previously.
The Incident
The case involves a second-year medical student from Odisha’s Jaleswar who was allegedly gang-raped on October 10 outside the campus of a private medical college in Durgapur. The assault reportedly took place after she went out with a friend for dinner.
Police say the incident occurred in a secluded forested area, where she was attacked and later threatened by the perpetrators. The case has sparked widespread outrage in both West Bengal and Odisha, with women’s rights groups demanding swift and exemplary punishment for the accused.
